ME

Was Jesus too focused on Himself? Isn’t it a sign of egotism to focus a lot on ourselves? Does Jesus’ insistence on focusing attention on Himself need to be continued by His followers? Should Christians focus as exclusively on Jesus as He focused on Himself? Is Jesus where the Father and the Spirit want us to focus?

Listen to just a few of these statements of Jesus where he uses the word “Me” and ask yourself if these statements are still as true right now as they were when Jesus first said them.

Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

Matthew 19:21

When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

Mark 8:34

You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.

John 5:39-40

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

John 7:37-38

Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.” And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. All that the Father givesMe will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

John 6:34-40

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

John 15:1-8

Jesus focused the attention of people on Himself because that was God’s plan. Jesus is the focus of the entire Bible because that is God’s plan. The Bible exists to get you to Jesus. Be careful about turning the Christian faith into anything other than a clear focus on Jesus. Even a focus on all of the Bible can become a problem if that focus does not end up at Jesus.

A challenge. Go back and read any of the four Gospels and note every place where the focus is Jesus. Look for words like “Me” “Mine” “I” or “My”. Then ask yourself why the Father never intervened to stop this singular focus. Ask yourself if you focus on Jesus as you should. Ask yourself why the church focuses on so many other things and often forgets to even mention Jesus.

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One thought on “ME”

Wow, great word, Pastor! All of the founders of the world's religions pointed to things outside of themselves for salvation. Muhammad pointed to the Koran. Buddha pointed to the 8 paths. Only Jesus pointed to Himself as the source of salvation; only He claimed to be the Way, the Truth and the Life.